Our Blog
Beyond the Beans: Jessica Hurtado
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kéan Coffee This week I sat down with Kean Coffee barista, Jessica Hurtado. Jessica shares with us her coffee journey which started with café con leche in her family’s kitchen and has taken her all the way to a coffee farm in Costa Rica. For Jessica, working in coffee and interacting with the coffee community has created an atmosphere of learning and joy found in pulling the perfect shot of espresso while working with the best people behind the bar. What is your role at Kéan Coffee and how long have …
Beyond the Beans: Meet Mike Lilly
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee This week we sat down with Tustin coffeehouse shift lead, “Coach” Mike Lilly. Since he started working with Kéan Coffee, Mike has become a senior barista and also a new dad! We talk about his coffee experience, what it’s like to be a coach in the coffeehouse and on the field, and more. How long have you worked with Kean Coffee and what is your position? I am a senior barista and shift lead. I have been working at Kean Coffee since 2016. I grew up in Tustin/Santa Ana …
Beyond the Beans: Monica Tenorio
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee This week we were able to sit down and talk with Kean Coffee Tustin senior barista and shift lead, Monica Tenorio. As a staff leader, local activist, mom, and student, Monica is constantly impressing us with her work ethic and the amazing attitude that she brings to the team and our guests each day she is at the coffeehouse. What is your position and how long have you worked for Kean Coffee? I am a senior barista and shift lead and I have been working at Kean Coffee for …
Beyond the Beans: Meet Samantha Brewer
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee In this week’s Beyond the Beans interview series, we get to know Newport Beach barista, Samantha Brewer! Living up to her last name, Samantha has been brewing coffee and bringing smiles to guest’s faces with her cheerful attitude since 2016. She has recently returned over the summer to Kéan Coffee after finishing up her studies at San Francisco State University and we are so happy to have her strong barista skills back on bar. She tells us about her history with Kéan Coffee and how communication plays a role …
Beyond the Beans: an interview with Stephanie Summerville
Beyond the Beans: Stephanie Summerville By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee First working at Diedrich Coffee and then continuing her journey at Kean Coffee, Stephanie Summerville has mastered the flow behind the bar. Stephanie is currently the assistant manager at Kean Coffee, Newport Beach, where she has spent 9 years dialing in espresso to perfection, building lasting relationships with our coffeehouse guests, and being everywhere at once. She explains how she manages the coffeehouse’s busiest times and what she does in her free time. What first brought you to the coffee industry and how did …
Beyond the Beans: An Interview with Ramone Valerio
With his coffee journey beginning at Kéan Coffee in 2010, Ramone has provided a decade of excellent service and skill as a barista. After becoming friends with so many of our regulars, many have probably wondered where he seems to disappear to for a few months out of the year. When he is not slinging expertly crafted espresso drinks at our Tustin coffeehouse, Ramone is touring around the country with his rock band, Dayseeker. He introduces to us the life of a barista, part-time musician, and dad.
Beyond the Beans: Michael Bingham
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee From Barista, to Production Member, to Roaster. Michael never expected that his curiosity towards specialty coffee as a young teenager would end up setting him on the path of building a coffee career. Through 8 years of hard work and demonstrating his skills as a barista and Roastery team member, Michael continues to gain more coffee experience and knowledge that makes him a valuable member of our Kéan Coffee family. He shares his Kéan Coffee story with us and dives into his passions outside of the coffee realm. Can …
Beyond the Beans: Melissa & Sunep
By: Brittany Leslie – Wholesale Account Manager and Educator, Kean Coffee Let us introduce you to one of our Kean Coffee barista dream teams, Melissa Hufford and Sunep Ozukum from our Newport Beach coffeehouse! Our Newport team has been gifted with this talented couple hailing from Hawaii, USA and Nagaland, India, respectively. Sunep and Melissa shared with us their coffee journeys, favorite drinks, and more about themselves. What started your coffee journey? Melissa: “I’ve always loved coffee. I always thought latte art looked fun and that being a barista looked cool. Coffee first piqued my interest when I was living …